noun

truss

/trʌs/ · say it: TRUSS

a framework of beams supporting a roof or bridge

In Architecture & Design

In more detail

1. (noun) a framework of beams or bars that supports a roof or bridge

2. (noun) a medical device worn to support a hernia or injury

3. (verb) to tie or bind someone tightly, usually with rope

Examples

1. The roof truss is made of wooden beams arranged in a triangular pattern.
2. He wore a truss after his surgery to help his hernia heal.
3. The soldiers trussed up the prisoner before taking him away.

How to use truss

As a noun, 'truss' refers either to an engineering structure (common in construction and architecture) or a medical brace. As a verb, it means to bind tightly and is often used in the phrase 'truss up' to mean restraining or securing someone or something with rope or similar material. The verb is less frequent in everyday speech but appears in cooking contexts (trussing poultry) and in more literary descriptions of restraint.

Common phrases

roof truss
truss bridge
hernia truss
truss up
tie someone up
steel truss

Synonyms

brace · framework · support · bind · tie up

Opposites

release · untie · loosen

Word family

trussed · trussing

A common mistake

Learners sometimes confuse 'truss' (a structure or to tie) with 'trust' (confidence in someone); these are homophones in some accents but have distinct spellings and meanings.

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